Troy University Athletics
Photo by: Cass Davis
Joanna Harden Earns All-Sun Belt Honors
3/6/2013 9:56:00 AM | Basketball (W)
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The Sun Belt Conference announced its annual Women's Basketball All-Sun Belt teams on Wednesday, with Troy guard Joanna Harden earning second team honors.
Harden, a 5-foot-8 native of Pompano Beach, Fla., averaged 15.6 points per game in the regular season for a Troy offense that led the league in scoring at 71.1 points per game. Her scoring average placed her sixth in the Sun Belt in scoring.
Harden averaged 18.6 points per game in Sun Belt play, the fourth best mark in the league, while scoring at least 20 points eight times, all in Sun Belt play.
Her season-high came in a loss at FIU where Harden scored 33 points on 11-of-19 scoring, but her signature game was a 27-point performance in Troy's upset win over Middle Tennessee.
Harden played all 45 minutes of regulation and overtime in that game and was named the Sun Belt Player of the Week the next day, the first such award in program history.
She has scored in double figures in 15 straight games leading into Friday's first round of the Sun Belt Championships, including scoring at least 20 points in five of her last seven games.
Harden is the first All-Sun Belt selection for the Trojans since Donette McNair earned third team honors two years ago in 2010-11. She is the first second team or better selection since Kylie Morrissy earned first team honors four years ago in 2008-09.
Harden posted one double-double in 2012-13, scoring 15 points while dishing out 10 assists at home against Florida Atlantic. She was the first Sun Belt player to have 10 dimes in a game this season, and still one of only three to do so.
A 78.1 percent free throw shooter, Harden is also in the Sun Belt's top 10 in that category.
Harden and the Trojans open the Sun Belt Championships on Friday at 2 p.m. in a first round game against South Alabama. The winner will move on to face West Division winner UALR in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
For more information on Troy Athletics, visit TroyTrojans.com. Fans can also find Troy on Twitter at @TroyAthletics or on Facebook at Facebook.com/TroyAthletics.
FIRST TEAM ALL-SUN BELT
Jerica Coley (FIU, Junior, Guard)
Kortni Jones (Middle Tennessee, Senior, Guard)
Ebony Rowe (Middle Tennessee, Junior, Forward)
Chastity Gooch (WKU, Sophomore, Forward)
Alexis Govan (WKU, Sophomore, Guard)
SECOND TEAM ALL-SUN BELT
Taylor Ford (UALR, Junior, Guard)
Jane Morrill (Arkansas State, Junior, Forward)
Chenise Miller (Florida Atlantic, RS-Junior, Forward)
Icelyn Elie (Middle Tennessee, Senior, Forward)
Joanna Harden (Troy, Junior, Guard)
THIRD TEAM ALL-ALL SUN BELT
Marita Davydova (FIU, Junior, Center)
Ashleigh Simmons (Louisiana-Monroe, Junior, Forward)
Loryn Goodwin (North Texas, Freshman, Guard)
Alexis Hyder (North Texas, Freshman, Forward)
Mary Nixon (South Alabama, Senior, Guard)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jerica Coley (FIU, Junior, Guard)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Chastity Gooch (WKU, Sophomore, Forward)
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Loryn Goodwin (North Texas, Freshman, Guard)
COACH OF THE YEAR
Michelle Clark-Heard, WKU
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